The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Where rhythmic moves spread awareness

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Friday, Feb 13, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Where rhythmic moves spread awareness

Staff Reporter

Dance-cum-mime show held

— Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

MOVING PORTRAYAL: Students perform at the anti-tobacco programme organised at the tourism and trade fair on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: A team of six students moved rhythmically in perfect silence. But their facial expressions and gestures were enough to drive home the message on the health hazards of using tobacco.

They weaved a story about a group of youths who fell into the trap of tobacco in their dance-cum-mime show staged as part of a cultural programme on tobacco control at the tourism and trade fair on Island Grounds on Wednesday. The programme, organised by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, sought to sensitise people to the ill-effects of tobacco.

At the inauguration, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine S. Elango said the ban on smoking in public places had been effectively enforced across the State. A State-level monitoring committee kept a close watch on violators. So far, over 9,000 people found smoking in public places were fined. The fine collected was nearly Rs.11.5 lakh. Listing the hazards of tobacco, he said tobacco contained more than 4,000 varieties of toxins that could cause oral and lung cancers. Campaigns must be conducted, especially in schools, to discourage youngsters from taking to tobacco.

A string of cultural programmes, including light music, dance and a skit, were held. They focussed on the need to curb the use of tobacco. Pamphlets detailing the amount of penalty levied on violators, the environmental hazards associated with smoking and the laws related to tobacco control were distributed.

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